There’s Something Incredibly Unique About This One Tunnel In South Dakota

If you’re claustrophobic, I would not recommend going through this tunnel. It’s called the Needles Eye tunnel for a good reason, and that’s because it is the narrowest tunnel in the state. Only one car at a time can go through, and believe it or not, huge charter buses squeeze through daily, too. That alone is a sight to behold, but the tunnel and the rock formations around it are well worth a view as well.

The name “Needles Eye” doesn’t come from only the narrowness of the tunnel, but also from the peculiarly shaped rock just outside of it. The ‘Needles Eye’ looks exactly what you’d think it would. The impressively thin formation looks extremely fragile and yet it’s been there for hundreds of years.

This tunnel is frequented by many who drive the Needles Highway in Custer State Park, one of the best ways to see the park’s stunning scenery. The highway itself is full of tight maneuvers other than the tunnel like hairpin turns and spiral “pigtail” bridges through the mountains of the park. The whole experience is totally worth it for the breathtaking nature…if you’re a good driver!

Have you ever driven through the tunnel yourself? This is definitely one of the top road trip destinations in the entire state. There are plenty of other places you can take a road trip to this summer. We listed some awesome destinations you should check out here.